When the ball is in play, you can pass the soccer ball anywhere and in any direction. It’s not like other sports where the ball needs to move in a certain direction (like rugby, for instance).
However, there is one type of pass that gets more attention than others – the pass back in soccer. As we explain below, the pass back refers to a specific instance in which the ball travels backward, and there are strict rules governing whether or not it’s allowed.
Let’s dive in and take a look at what it means to pass the ball back in soccer.
What is a pass back in soccer?
A pass back in soccer refers to an instance where an outfield player passes the ball back to the goalkeeper. If the outfield player passes the ball with his or her feet, the goalkeeper cannot handle the ball and must clear the ball from the area without it touching his or her hands. To help you understand this rule a little better, we take a deep dive into the pass back below.
What happens if you pass the ball back to your goalkeeper?
In the rules of soccer, there are no restrictions regarding where you can pass the ball. You can pass it forwards, to the side, or backward, and you can pass it to any of your teammates at any time. However, the pass-back rule specifically governs what happens when you pass to your goalkeeper.
When an outfield player passes the ball back to the goalkeeper using their feet, the goalkeeper is not permitted to pick it up, even if they are in the penalty area. In fact, the goalkeeper is not allowed to touch the ball with his or her hands and must control it with another part of their body.
This can cause goalkeepers a significant problem, particularly if you play the pass back with considerable pace towards your own goal. Goalkeepers aren’t typically as good with their feet as outfield players, so you run a risk when you pass it back to your goalie.
If the opposition is good at closing your goalkeeper down, you might find that they make a costly error that could cost your team a goal.
What’s the punishment for picking up a pass back?
If a goalkeeper picks the ball up when it is passed back to them from one of their players, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposition. The free kick should be taken from the spot where the goalkeeper picked the ball up, not where the pass was made from.
So, in most instances, this results in an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area, which is particularly difficult to defend. But as you may know, when you’re awarded an indirect free kick, you cannot score directly from it.
Someone else (either a teammate or an opposition player) needs to touch the ball before it heads into the back of the net for an indirect free kick to count. Still, giving away an indirect free kick in your own area is dangerous and something you should definitely try and avoid!
Can you pass the ball back with your head?
You can pass the ball back to your goalkeeper in any way that you like (other than with your hands and arms). However, if you head the ball back to your goalkeeper, they can pick it up instead of controlling it with their feet.
This is why you often see outfield soccer players stoop down to head the ball back to their goalkeepers instead of flicking the ball back to them with their feet.
In addition to using your head, you can use your upper legs or chest to cushion the ball back to the goalkeeper, and it won’t result in an indirect free kick if they pick it up. The only way the referee will penalize your team is if your goalkeeper picks up a back pass that has been played with your feet.
What about a throw-in?
If you’re in the defensive third of the field, you might want to throw the ball back to your goalkeeper when you have a throw-in. This is perfectly fine to do, but you should be aware that the goalkeeper is not permitted to pick the ball up.
So, if you decide to throw the ball back to the goalie, make sure you do it gently enough so they can easily control it with their feet before playing the ball out to another defender.
If you put your goalkeeper under too much pressure, they could make a mistake that could lead to a goal. In a hotly-contested Birmingham derby in 2002, an Aston Villa defender threw the ball back to the goalkeeper – Peter Enkleman – only for the goalie to mis-control it into the back of his own net!
Such an occurrence doesn’t happen particularly often, but it does show what is possible if you put your goalkeeper under unnecessary pressure with a difficult-to-control pass back.
Is a pass back in soccer the same as a back pass?
In soccer, the terms pass back and back pass are used interchangeably and refer to the same thing. So, if you hear someone say either, you know that they’re referring to the act of passing the ball back to the goalkeeper and the rules associated with such an action.
As you can see, there’s a lot to think about before passing the ball back to your goalie, so make sure you’re both on the same page before putting them under unnecessary pressure by making them control a ball that’s too hot to handle!
Recap: The pass back in soccer explained
While it’s perfectly fine to pass the ball back to your goalkeeper at any stage during a soccer match, make sure you understand the rules associated with doing so.
You should also be mindful that the goalie is not permitted to pick the ball up if you make the pass with your feet, so bear this in mind and ensure the pass is under control as it makes its way back towards your goal.